French Catalonia Travel Story by Michael Raven

Our latest feature is from film photographer Michael Raven and his time traveling throughout French Catalonia. Michael captured this charming area on both 35mm and medium format with a mix of black and white and color film. Here is more from Michael about this series…

These are a few frames from our time spent exploring French Catalonia over the summer. Leaving the Mediterranean coast and heading west, we drove up into the Eastern Pyrenees on winding roads that snaked their way up densely forested inclines. As we ascended, the towns and villages became more remote, more ancient, and seemingly more precariously balanced on their mountainside perches.

Walking the narrow, labyrinthine streets of these villages, it was sometimes hard to find much evidence to suggest these places were acquainted with the 20th century, let alone the 21st. Turning a corner would occasionally provide a glimpse into someone else’s life; a washing line, a vegetable patch, maybe even an old TV, some broadcast just visible through a small window.

Evenings were often spent reading by the stove at our host’s wonderful smallholding, hidden in the woods. The area was also remote enough to mean that the night sky didn’t suffer as much from light pollution, as it does say at home, so included here are two attempts at capturing the stars.

Analog cameras and films used: Miranda MS-1 Super (Find on eBay), Yashica Mat (Find at KEH Camera or on eBay) | Kodak Portra 400 (Find on Amazon), Kodak T-Max 400 (Find on Amazon)

Connect with Michael: Instagram

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